Red and Blue
by SkulShurtugalTCG
Summary: Saba just wants one thing: to be a police dog. But along the way, she finds something completely unexpected: romance. Will she be able to put aside her personal feelings in order to do her job, or succumb to them and risk losing everything she's worked for her entire life? First story in the Wolf Series.
1. Chapter 1

If Saba's tongue hung out of her mouth any further, it would be dragging through the snow. The sights and smells and sounds that surrounded her filled her body with a sense of wonder and excitement. People towered above her, bundled up in their thick coats and heavy boots. Dogs of all breeds and sizes stood around her, lining up and down the street, pressed to the curb of the sidewalk on either side of the road, struggling to see what was going on.

So why did it seem that she was the only one who was excited?

The people were very quiet. Occasionally there was a whisper from a child, only for their parents to hush them almost immediately. Cassie, her own girl, was behaving herself quite well, simply standing behind Saba and holding her leash tight. The adults were all silent, not a sound among them.

Saba's father, Balto, was beside her. His tail was not wagging like hers. His tongue was not hanging out like hers. His eyes were not filled with excitement like hers. He seemed very solemn, as if he was sad he had to be there at that moment.

"Are you okay, Daddy?" Saba asked, worried for him.

Balto blinked hard, like he was being pulled out of a trance, and looked down at her with a warm smile. "I'm fine, kiddo."

It was a simple answer, but it satisfied Saba. She went back to wagging her tail and darting her eyes back and forth down the road. "When is it starting, Daddy?" she asked, excited.

Unlike the human parents hushing their children, Balto did not curb her in the least. If anything, it seemed that her excitement just helped cheer him up even more. "Soon, Saba," he assured her, poking his head into the street and looking both ways himself. "For an event this big, I'm sure they'll want to start right on time. It won't be much longer of a wait."

As if on cue, the clock at City Hall, half a mile down the road, chimed noon. Any leftover noise from the crowd immediately died down, instantly silencing the town. After the twelfth chime, it became so quiet, Saba could hear the sound of the waves hitting the beach more than a mile away.

Then, all of a sudden, a voice called out from down the road. It was too far away for her to make out what was said, but the message was clear to _someone_. A lone trumpet began to play a slow, solemn tune. As Saba turned to see where the trumpet was playing from, she saw a small group of people make their way to the center of the street.

Every human and dog in town turned their attention to the group. Six men, all dressed in blue, walked down the road, carrying a big box between them. A group of several other men followed behind, walking two by two, in step with each other. Following them was a large gap, followed by the trumpet player, also dressed in blue.

Saba didn't understand exactly what was going on, but she could feel the excitement disappear inside of her. She turned to Balto and whispered, "What is that, Daddy?"

It was the only noise anyone was making in the crowd. The humans didn't seem to notice, but some nearby dogs shot her a disapproving look before turning their attention back to the group making their way down the road.

Balto seemed to ignore the disapproving looks and answered. "That's Nome's police force. They are the group of humans that help protect the city."

"Like you did?"

A chuckle. "No, not exactly. See, Nome has a lot of laws that need to be kept. Sometimes humans don't keep those laws, so the police help to enforce them and keep order. It helps everyone stay safe and happy." The group began passing them, and Balto's smile vanished. "But sometimes, that comes at a cost."

For the first time, Saba noticed a dog, a German Shepherd, following the trumpet player. She had never seen him before, which was odd since she thought she knew _every_ dog in Nome. He walked straight and tall, obviously very proud of himself.

"Who's that?" Saba whispered.

"That's Orion, the chief's partner." Balto pointed at one of the men around the box with his nose. "He's their leader, and Orion helps sometimes with things that dogs can do but humans can't."

"Why haven't I seen him before?"

"Because he's always so busy doing police work. When humans get lost in the woods, Orion is sent out to find them. And when humans need to track a criminal, they bring in Orion to do it. When he's not working, he's at his home preparing for the next time he _does_ work."

"He must work hard, then." Saba's eyes followed the group as they kept making their way down the street, now completely passing them. Her attention went back to the box the six men were carrying. "What's in the box?"

Balto paused for a moment before answering. "It's not what, it's who. One of the police officers was killed in the line of duty."

"What happened?" When her father didn't answer, Saba decided it was best to leave it. "Don't humans usually just bury dead people?"

"Usually, yes. But police officers aren't just ordinary people. This one was very well-known by everyone in town, and well-respected, too. That's why everyone is gathered here, to pay our respects."

"Is that why everyone is so quiet?" As soon as Saba said it out loud, she realized the irony of the question, and sheepishly lowered her ears and tried taking a step back, hoping to disappear into the crowd.

Balto didn't seem to mind, as if her questions were more important than being silent. "Yes. Everyone is quiet because they are so respectful. That man gave his life for this town, and this is our way of saying thank-you."

The group reached the end of the road, just as the trumpet stopped playing. One of the six men surrounding the box - the one Balto had identified as the chief - called out something, and the others raised a hand to their face.

"What are they doing?" Saba inquired.

"That's called a salute," Balto explained. "It's the biggest show of respect police officers can give."

The remaining police officers stood still and kept saluting while the six holding the box walked away, making their way toward the cemetery on the outskirts of town. When they were out of sight, one of the men called out another word, and the men dropped their hands. Then they turned around and started walking back down the street, this time with the dog leading the group.

"Now they're going back to the police station. When they reach it, then we will be free to leave," Balto whispered.

Saba barely heard him. She was fixated on Orion. The German Shepherd walked straight, never turning his attention to the left or to the right. In fact, he seemed to be the only dog who wasn't focused on the group of police officers behind him. He had a small smile on his face, proud of his position in the police force. He walked with great steps, hind paws almost sinking into the same patch of snow as his front paws.

Saba was only three months old, but in those few seconds of staring at Orion, she made an instant decision.

"Dad, I want to be a police dog."

Balto, for the first time today, seemed like he didn't quite know what was going on. After a stutter, he asked, "You what?"

Saba couldn't take her attention off Orion, now passing directly in front of her. In fact, she could almost swear he pulled his attention off the road _just_ to give her a glance. And did he just wink as well?

She felt a heated sensation on her face and quickly turned to her father. "That human gave his life to help out Nome. And that dog would be willing to do the same." She smiled. "I want to do that, too."

Balto blinked. "Saba, there's a _lot_ more to being a police dog than just being eye candy to everyone. It's real hard work - harder work than even being a sled dog."

"I don't care. I can do hard work!" Saba puffed her chest and smiled. "If Orion can do it, I can do it."

Balto seemed incapable of processing what had just happened. Even as the group of police officers entered their building and the crowd began to dissipate, he continued staring at Saba blankly, struggling to find words.

It was only when Rosy walked past with Jenna that he found the words-for Jenna, not for Saba. "She wants to be a police dog," he mumbled, as if he couldn't believe he was saying it out loud.

Rosy patted Balto and Saba on the head before she started chatting with Cassie. Jenna seemed just as surprised as Balto about the idea, and turned to Saba in confusion. "Really? That's what you want to do?"

Saba nodded enthusiastically. "I want to help people! I never wanted to be a sled dog like Dingo, or a mail dog like Kodi. But I never wanted to just be a pet like Tydye, either. I want to help people-and I think being a police dog is the perfect way for me to do it!"

Jenna stared at her just as blankly as Balto for a few seconds, but after those few seconds were up, she smiled. "Well, then I say go for it, Saba."

Balto turned to her. "Excuse me, what?" he asked.

Jenna shot him a look, before returning her attention back to her daughter. "Nome has always had at least one police dog, because they're so useful. If you want to help humans in any way you can, then I say that's the perfect thing for you to do."

"But it's dangerous," Balto warned-probably warning both of them. "Do you know what police have to do here? The conditions they work in? The criminals they can run—"

"Dad," Saba interjected. Her use of that word, instead of her usual "Daddy", stunned Balto into silence. She took a deep breath, before talking again. "I know this is a sudden decision. I don't know anything about what it means to be a police dog. And I am _sure_ it's dangerous." She walked closer to him. "But I do know one thing: that for the first time in my life, I know what I want to do. I know I _want_ to find out how to be a police dog. I know I _want_ to risk the danger, to help other people." She smiled encouragingly. "I know I _want_ for you to support this decision."

Jenna quickly proclaimed, "Of _course_ you have my support, Saba! You have mine _and_ your father's!" She turned to him. "Isn't that right, Balto?"

Balto continued staring at his daughter, barely comprehending the sudden change going on right before his eyes. The longer he stared, the more Saba worried he would express his disapproval. _And why shouldn't he? I'm just three months old. I have my whole life ahead of me. Making such a big decision like this so early on is probably not smart._ She dropped the smile, instead putting on an expression of determination. _But it is my decision, nonetheless._

"Please understand," she begged out loud.

Balto's gaze lasted for another few seconds, before he let out a sigh. "I don't understand," he admitted, but to Saba's immense relief, he added, "but I support you all the way, kiddo."

The relief was so great that Saba couldn't help but hug him instantly, wrapping her neck around his with so much force he had to sidestep to maintain his balance. "Thank you, Daddy!" she exclaimed. She stopped hugging him for just long enough to look him and her mother in the face. "Don't you worry. I'll be the best police dog Nome has ever had!"


	2. Chapter 2

Saba's heart pounded in her ears, drowning out the sound of her panting as she ran down the beach. Her legs ached, her throat hurt, and she couldn't even feel her feet anymore. Her body screamed for her to let up, to stop running, to give herself a respite.

She ignored it, and just pushed herself to run even faster.

The sun hung low over the horizon in front of her, signaling that it was around noon. In an effort to take her mind off her discomfort, Saba closed her eyes and kept running straight, imagining that she was running straight toward the sun itself. She imagined that she was running off the sand and into the air. Soon, she could almost feel she was among the clouds, free of her gravitational restraints. She could almost hear the heavens calling her name, begging her to continue on her journey.

"Saba! Keep going!"

She opened her eyes. The sun blinded her temporarily, and she had to focus in order to keep running straight. When her eyes readjusted, her eyes widened as she realized there was someone directly in front of her. She forced her paws deep into the sand, grinding to a sudden halt and stopping mere inches away from the figure in front of her.

Orion looked down on her, a frown on his face. Her attempt at a weak smile did little to appease him. "That was faster," he admitted, "but not by much."

Saba's heart, still beating profusely, sank in disappointment. As Orion turned around and walked away, she tried following him. "Orion, sir, let me do it again."

"You're done for the day, Saba," Orion replied, not even glancing over his shoulder to meet her gaze. "You will do better tomorrow after you're well-rested."

It wasn't encouragement. Saba had now been a police dog for over a year—one of only two in Nome, only after Orion himself—and she had been trying to improve her performance for all that time. When she had first joined, it had been over _two_ years since she had first made the decision to become a police dog, and during all that time she had trained in preparation. She was the fastest and strongest husky in all of Nome, and her sense of smell was rivaled only by Orion's.

When Saba had joined the police, it was the chief's decision—and it was a decision Orion did not like one bit. It was no secret that he loved being the sole police dog in Nome; he took great pride in it, and he performed his job better when he went solo.

So ever since then, Orion had been training Saba twice as hard as what she went through before joining. Today's run was nothing new to her; in fact, she was grateful she was so used to it. She had helped Nome's police apprehend several criminals already, and every time she did, she grew in pride for her work—and it was all thanks to her dedicated training with Orion.

Orion, however, was never satisfied. She was always a little too slow in her runs, or took a little too long to smell out the fake contraband drugs, or had too little strength to pull bags of sand. He, on the other hand, never had trouble doing the same.

Even now, after all Saba had gone through to get this far, she just wasn't good enough.

She shook the thought out of her head and ran up to meet Orion's stride. "Orion, sir," she begged, "I can be as good as you. I just need to keep working. I'm not about to give up."

Orion slowed to a stop. He didn't say anything for a few seconds—a rarity for him—and looked Saba in the eye. When he finally opened his mouth, all he said was, "Go home, Saba. It's your day off."

Saba refused. "I'm a police dog. Police dogs don't _have_ days off." She looked into his brown eyes pleadingly. "I want to become as good as you, and I can't do that if I take breaks."

"You'll _never_ be as good as me," Orion snapped. The suddenness made Saba's ears droop. "I am a German Shepherd. I was _bred_ to be superior."

"And I am part-wolf," Saba pointed out. "My father is the most well-known dog in all of Alaska. he single-handedly saved all those diphtheria victims four years ago. His blood runs through my veins, and I _know_ I can excel in ways normal dogs cannot."

Orion sighed in frustration and once again began walking away in dismissal. "You are still a child as far as I'm concerned, Saba. You can train and improve all you want, but you will never be as good as I am." And with that, he was gone.

Saba stared after him, trying not to let him discourage her. She knew him well enough to know that even though his words could sting, he meant well. He had always required her unquestionable loyalty, and in return, he had given her a great deal of respect. There were many times that they were out on a case with the police officers that he had given her a quick order, and a second's delay would have been the difference between success and failure.

She had never failed him. She never had, and she was sure she never would. She couldn't even imagine failing him.

When he had disappeared from her sight, Saba began walking back home, but stopped after only a few steps when she realized that her father's boat was actually much closer. _I haven't talked with him in a little while_ , she reasoned as she turned around and started walking the other way. _No time like the present._

Five minutes later, she was walking up the plank and onto the deck. She didn't even need to look around to know where her father was; she could hear his snoring from a mile away. She followed the sound to the inside cabin, where she found him curled up in a corner, blanket draped over him, mouth wide open and eyes closed shut.

Saba chuckled, admired the face of her sleeping father for a few seconds, and nudged his shoulder gently. "Wakey wakey," she whispered in his ear.

The snoring abruptly stopped and Balto's eyes opened. "Huh?" They closed again as he yawned and stretched; the ungodly sound that erupted from his throat caused Saba's muscles to tense slightly. It took Balto a second to recognize Saba—or, at the very least, to figure out which of his kids she was. "Oh. Hi, kiddo."

Saba smiled. "Hi, Daddy." Even though she was three years old now, definitely not a child anymore, she saw no reason to stop using the moniker. "I'm done training for today, so I decided to stop by and talk."

Balto stretched again, licked his lips, and sat up. The blanket slid down to the floor, exposing his graying fur to her in full. "Okay, talk about what?"

"I don't know. I just realized it's been a while since we've talked last." Saba thought hard for a second. "Was it Christmas, maybe?"

Balto walked over to his water bowl on the other side of the cabin. "That long?" He took a few licks. "I could swear we've seen each other since then."

"Maybe we have but I don't think we've actually had a good long talk since then." Saba sighed. "I don't mind being a police dog. It's what I've wanted my whole life. It's just…" She trailed off, having a hard time finding the words.

"It's just that, you miss spending time with me," Balto finished. Saba nodded. "And I'm sure you miss spending time with your mother, too. And your brothers and sisters. And just about everyone else you used to spend time with."

Again, Saba nodded. "Being a police dog is hard work. This is my first day off in weeks—and I wanted to spend the whole day training."

Balto smirked. "Well, thanks for the priority," he murmured. "So why aren't you out there training right now?"

Saba sighed. "Because Orion told me I'm done for the day. I wasn't improving fast enough for him."

"Sounds tough."

"It _is_ tough. He keeps telling me I need to get better, but he doesn't tell me _how_. He just has me doing the same things over and over again. I run up and down the beach all day, I practice smelling out contraband, and it's not enough for him." She began murmuring. "As if his pretty brown eyes can help him get any faster than those thick legs and ripped muscles can already give him."

Balto blinked. "What was that?"

Saba shook her head, realizing she had been talking out loud. "It was nothing," she said apologetically.

Balto raised an eyebrow. A grin began to appear on his face. "It was _something_ ," he insisted. "Or are you going to tell me that twinkle in your eye is nothing, either?"

The white fur on Saba's face flushed pink. "What twinkle?" she asked, trying to deny it but knowing it was there nonetheless.

"The same twinkle that shows up in your mom's eyes when she's with me. Or in Kodi's eyes when he's with Dusty." Balto's grin widened. "Come on, Saba. Admit it. You've got a thing for Orion."

Saba wished nothing more than to hide her face from Balto—from the whole world. She turned and walked to the railing outside the cabin. "I do not!" she refuted.

Balto stared at her, insulted. "Saba."

She sighed. "Fine. Yes. I have a crush on Orion." Admitting it didn't help her feel any better. "I…I have had a crush on him my whole life," she continued. "Ever since that day when I was three months old. The same day I chose to become a police dog." She couldn't bear looking her father in the face anymore; she turned and looked out to the ocean. "I guess I hoped it would go away once we entered a professional relationship."

"Relationship," Balto repeated. Saba swore it was only to make her even more embarrassed; her face flushed an even deeper red and he chuckled in response. He walked over to her and joined her by the railing. "I'm just giving you a hard time, kiddo. Crushes are a normal thing. You know I had a crush on your mom for the longest time too, right?"

"Yeah, but you ended up with her," Saba retorted, meeting his gaze again. "You did something great, got her attention, and lived happily ever after. I can't do that. He sees me not only just as a co-worker, but as inferior." She wasn't upset by admitting it; she just stated it as a fact.

A fact that Balto was hesitant to accept to easily. "Okay, first of all, let me tell you something." Any hint of a smile disappeared; he was now completely serious. "Yes, I did a great thing. But it was not to get your mom's attention. I did the serum run because it was the right thing to do. Because, just like you, I saw there were people who needed my help, and I didn't hesitate to help them. I only found out later that your mom had an interest in me as well. Honestly, I think we would have ended up together regardless—but I want you to get out of your head right now, this instant, that I had to win her over."

The words dug into Saba's skin like teeth, and she immediately regretted making such an accusation in the first place. She hung her head, genuinely apologetic. "I'm sorry, Daddy," she whispered.

A reassuring paw patted her shoulder. "And I want you to also get out of your head that you need to earn Orion's love in the same way." Saba looked back up at him, confused by his statement. Balto's smile was back. "That's not how love works. Love is all about accepting someone for who they are. You obviously look up to Orion for what he does." He winked. "I think Orion truly sees your potential, and I think the day will come when you impress him."

The reassurance filled Saba's heart with joy. Just the _thought_ of Orion treating her like an equal, and the possibility of perhaps even wanting to become her romantic partner… "Do you really think so?" she asked.

"I do." Balto snickered. "That twinkle is back."

Saba's face, which had _just_ returned to its natural white, flushed red once again. "Daddy!" she snapped. She covered her head with her paws, while Balto broke into laughter beside her. After a few seconds, she couldn't help but laugh.

 _It's time I admit it to myself_ , she decided. _I have a crush on Orion._


	3. Chapter 3

Orion's owner was Butch, chief of police in Nome. Every morning at precisely five o'clock, Butch and Orion would enter the police station. Over the next hour, the rest of Nome's police officers would join them. They would mostly work on paperwork and the like for a few hours, until Cassie arrived at seven o'clock on her way to school and drop Saba off.

The typical day was actually fairly boring. Crime rate in Nome was low, especially violent crimes. For the most part, Saba would train with Orion in the morning, working on getting her heart rate down and her muscle build up. Lunchtime came at noon, followed by a nap before the afternoon arrived.

Every afternoon was different. Sometimes Butch would take Orion and Saba out for a walk around town, and they would meet with various citizens and visitors; by now, Saba knew almost everyone in Nome by name, human and dog. Sometimes there were events to attend, such as funerals and award ceremonies, where Saba and Orion would sit at attention side-by-side while Butch did his thing. Regardless of what happened, Cassie would pick Saba up at seven in the afternoon and take her home, where she would eat supper and go straight to bed.

For the most part, life as a police dog was not as adventurous as Saba had expected when she was a pup. In some ways, that was a good thing; it meant that things in Nome were quiet and that the citizens were keeping the law. And despite the relentless training and exercising that Saba was put through day after day, it was nice being able to relax afterward, and not have to worry about worse things.

But still, Saba itched for more. Her body and her mind both longed for the day that all her training would be paid off. She had twice the muscle of any other husky in Nome, even the sled dogs, and her nose was now able to smell a gram of contraband from over a half-mile away. Every time the phone rang in the police station, her ears would perk up and her tail began to wag uncontrollably, hoping it would be a call meant just for her.

It had yet to happen even once. When a police dog _was_ needed, Butch always took Orion and left Saba behind. Saba was always disappointed, and did her best to hide it well. Orion would barely give her a "See you later" on his way out the door.

Saba tried not to despair. She knew Orion was always called solo because he was more experienced, not to mention a German Shepherd. And even if Butch considered taking Saba along, Orion would use his body language to persuade him to leave her behind. To Orion, Saba was still just too weak and unreliable as a police dog to work on the big cases yet.

 _My time will come soon enough_ , she reassured herself. _In the meantime, I'll just keep getting stronger, so I'm prepared for when it happens._

So she told herself this day, after she had eaten lunch and began winding down for her afternoon nap. Training that morning had been especially vigorous, with Saba continuing to push her limits after her performance the day before had left Orion unimpressed. As a result, she was exhausted, and hurting in several places. But she was optimistic; Orion had noticed her hard work, and had given her a rare compliment after they had arrived back at the police station.

Almost as soon as they entered through the door, Butch was in the middle of hanging up the phone. He got up from his desk, grabbed Orion's leash from the wall, and turned to the other officers. "Doc says he's missing some pharmaceutical products from his inventory. Could be part of a narcotics ring. I'll take Orion and Saba to investigate."

Saba barely understood a word of what Butch said, but as soon as she heard that she was going to tag along, she couldn't help but perk her ears and wag her tail in excitement. She turned excitedly to Orion and smiled.

Orion seemed shocked at the prospect of Saba tagging along, and quickly walked over to Butch. As his master put the leash on his collar, he tried to pull Butch along so they could make a quick exit like they usually this.

This time, however, Butch was persistent. He held tight to Orion's leash and grabbed the spare on the wall. "It's about time Saba got some real time in as a police dog, don't you think, boy?"

Orion grumbled, but gave Saba a defeated look and let Butch put her leash on. She could barely contain her excitement, and as soon as she felt the leash clip into place, she impatiently dragged Butch and Orion out the front door.

The hospital was just down the street, and it didn't take long for the three of them to make the walk over—even quicker since Saba was the one leading the way. Within minutes, Butch was inside talking with Doc, asking questions and writing down notes, while Saba and Orion waited for him outside.

Saba couldn't stop smiling. Here I am, finally on my first big case! _I really feel like a police dog now, for the first time in my life!_ She kept glancing over excited at Orion, and every time, Orion would roll his eyes and find something else to stare at indifferently.

That was fine by her. Saba refused to let anyone take this moment away from her. She didn't even mind the looks that a pair of dogs gave her as they walked down the street, undoubtedly on their way to non-police dog business.

She was convinced that at this point in her life, she just couldn't be happier. The thought caused her to once again shoot a glance in Orion's direction.

This time, he decided to let his irritation known. "You can stop that now," he mumbled.

"I can't," Saba responded, quite honestly. "I'm just so happy! I've been waiting for this day my whole life!"

"You're not exactly doing anything," Orion remarked.

"I am too!" Saba closed her eyes and felt the warm sun on her fur; it wouldn't be up in the sky much longer anyway today. "I'm doing police dog work! I'm helping you and Butch track down criminals!"

"You don't even know there _is_ a criminal," Orion shot back. But as soon as he finished speaking, Butch and Doc opened the door to the hospital.

"Don't worry, Doc," Butch assured him. "We'll track down these criminals as soon as we can."

Orion ignored Saba's widened smile and snorted. Under his breath, he continued, "I am the lead police dog. I do all the work. You're just here to get some experience. That's all."

Butch approached Orion from behind and patted him on the head. "Hey, boy, how about we let Saba track this one?" he suggested.

Saba's smile could not get any wider, and Orion's face could not fall any darker. As Butch grabbed their leashes and began leading them away from the hospital, he finished, "I'll verify _everything_ you do. Got it?"

As restrictive as it was, it was the most freedom Orion had ever given her before. Saba gladly nodded her head, mentally preparing herself for whatever Butch required of her next.

Butch led the two dogs behind the hospital, to the boiler room. Saba knew it well; her father often came here with her mother during long winter nights, and sometimes invited her along. Butch spent a few seconds eyeing a corner of one of the walls, knocking against it a few times with his knuckles, before turning to Saba. "Okay, girl. Smell."

Saba obediently walked to the corner and sniffed. The usual scents were all there: wood, ash, a trace of water, dirt, and…

She sniffed again, then a third time just to be sure. She sat down and barked a single time, looking up to Butch in anticipation.

Butch stroked his chin. "You smelled it, huh?" He reached into his pocket and pulled out a dog treat. "Good girl, Saba." He tossed it to her, and before it could touch the ground she had it in her mouth. He then turned to Orion. "Your turn, boy."

Orion walked up next to Saba, gave a single long sniff, before sitting down and barking once as well, confirming Saba's conclusion. Butch chucked him a treat as well, before taking out a napkin and small knife from the same pocket. "Very interesting," he mumbled under his breath as he scraped against the wall. "Very interesting indeed." He held the napkin, which now contained a small piece of the wall, out to Saba. "Okay, girl. Track."

Saba took another quick sniff at the napkin, this time taking care to memorize the scent as best she could. Then she dropped her nose to the floor and began smelling it intensely, working her best to follow the scent as it left the wall. She had trained to do this ever since she had become a police dog, and she was surprised by how similar the real thing was to practice. She spread her stance and took slow, deliberate steps back and forth, making sure her trail was as close to the scent as possible. She tugged on her leash the whole time, leading Butch and Orion out the boiler room and down the street.

The scent was still fresh; whoever left it had been in the boiler room within the last twenty-four hours. Saba followed it to the outskirts of Nome, with Butch halting her every so often to have Orion verify she as still on the right trail. Saba was not very familiar with this part of town; it was exactly opposite from her father's home, so she rarely had a reason to come here. Nome itself was mostly to the west, and the wild Alaskan tundra bordered on the east.

Saba followed the scent through the few houses that there were out here, excited that the scent was only getting more strong as they walked. The scent darted between the houses, eventually leading to the woods themselves. Luckily, the scent did not go far into them, and when it finally went cold, Nome was still very much within sight.

However, the scent _did_ go cold. Saba sniffed around in several big circles, just to be sure, before sitting down next to a large tree.

Butch stared at her in confusion. "Here, Saba?" He walked around the tree once, looking it up and down, before scratching his head. "You sure?"

Orion, without needing to be told, lowered his head and smelled up the ground. Within seconds, he came to the same conclusion as Saba: the scent stopped where they sat.

Butch crossed his arms in thought. "Well, whoever it was can't have just disappeared into thin air." He stared up in the sky and patted his foot against the ground. "There aren't any branches on this tree, at least not until pretty high up…" He froze, his foot above the dirt, and slowly looked down at his feet. "But maybe he didn't go up…"

He tapped his foot once, then again with greater force. The second time, Saba heard the sound of hollow wood under his boot. Excited, she jumped in the air and barked, pouncing at his feet.

Butch quickly pushed her away and dropped to one knee. He felt around the surrounding ground with his hands, eventually finding a door handle and pulling up hard on it. The dirt around it gave way, lifting up and revealing a trap door hidden among the brush.

"You thought you were so smart, didn't you fella?" Butch muttered to no one in particular. He glanced at the sky, took note of how much daylight was left, and let the door fall back to the ground. "It's too late to investigate any further," he relented, tugging at Saba and Orion's leashes. "Come on, let's go back to the station. The boys and I will finish this up tomorrow morning."

Saba had barely noticed the time fly past, but a quick look at the sky confirmed that it was now time for the work day to end. She was still excited, though. After all, she had just completed her very first task as a full-fledged police dog—and she had done it all on her own, without help from Orion.

The trip back to the police station was a short one, and Cassie was already waiting for her. As she and Butch had a quick exchange, Orion decided to have a few words of his own with Saba. She expected him to congratulate her on a job well done—or to at least say something positive about it.

His words, instead, wiped her smile clean off her face. "You were too slow. I could have done it with enough time left in the day to get more work done."

For a moment, Saba was speechless. After all she had accomplished, and after all she had done to prove herself, she still wasn't good enough in Orion's eyes.

She refused to let him ruin her good day, or to belittle her achievements from today. "Then I'll be faster next time," she responded, puffing her chest in confidence.

Orion barely gave her one final glance before Cassie began taking her home. As soon as he was out of sight, Saba found herself smiling once again. _I_ will _be better next time. I will make Orion proud of me. I will make him like me. It's only a matter of time._

Her smile got even bigger. _And today was a great first step._


End file.
